2015 Honda Civic Review – Test Drive, Specs, Ratings, Price

A Small Car with a Rich Heart

We’ve all been blessed with an opportunity to be in one of those Honda Civics – the small car that’s marked a strong footprint in ultra reliability and simplicity in automotive history. But that was in the 90’s. As time progressed, technology became more available, cars grew in complexity and the Honda Civic was no exception to the social norm of modern-aged car culture.

As a matter of fact, there is little to no nostalgic evidence of that childhood Honda Civic feel when inside the new one. Its spaceship-themed instrument cluster and dashboard, redundant side view mirror cameras and streamline body contours are only a few points to support this statement. In comparison with its competitors including the Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Sentra and Ford Fusion, the Honda Civic’s leading hand is a healthy dosage of good fuel economy, digital amenities, driving dynamics and comfort at a very competitive price.

No to Plastic Surgery

The Honda Civic has never really been a car character of good looks and today’s model still holds true. It’s not an eye sore by any means. There’s just not a lot to rave about other than its slim-line horizontal front grille, simplistic front bumper and side panels and headlights manufactured from pencil-drawn specs.

More effort was; however, devoted to the rear end of the Honda Civic to give it a more distinctive look. The unique-patterns tail lights, thin-profile spoiler and side-flares extended perpendicularly outwards on its rear bumper gives off a visual hope for road performance.

For its mid-entry price point, the Honda Civic offers quite a bit of digital amenities for both safety and performance. Take for example the side-view camera display portrayed on the infotainment screen when making lane changes, in-depth real time and historical fuel consumption and trip data, rear view camera, and touchscreen audio controls.

On that same note, the boundary between need and want is often a gray area when it comes to technology features. And I have to say, I was not a fan of its sluggish infotainment UI interface and the lack of an audio volume knob that had to be either controlled through a finicky capacitive touch button located to the side of the infotainment screen, or via its steering-wheel mounted buttons.

Other than the tech features, the overall seating arrangement is well thought out and generally comfortable with a well-sized steering wheel and good all-around visibility. Quality of materials used throughout its interior receive OK grades, but still better than a lot of its competitors.

On the Road

One could be fooled into thinking the Honda Civic would cost more than it is if he or she were to be blindfolded in one. Its movement is fluid, the cabin space is quiet and acceleration is capable. Powertrain configurations are offered in three flavors of a four cylinder engine: a 1.8L, 2.4L or a 1.5L engine configured as a hybrid powertrain. Choice of transmission also comes in three flavors: a 5 speed manual only available in the lower DX, LX and EX model, a CVT transimssion available in the Touring and Hybrid model, and finally, the 6-speed manual transmission in the sportier SI model.

Our tested model came equipped with a CVT transmission which shattered any hope for driving excitement. The Honda Civic does offer a “Sport” mode activated by its gear lever. In this mode, throttle becomes more responsive and revs are spun higher. But despite its CVT buzz kill, the aspects of quiet commute, and comfortable ride were enjoyed during our test drive.

There isn’t much to rave about its handling capability either unfortunately. Throwing the Honda Civic into a corner produces undesirable and the suspensions reaction is lazy.

Final Verdict

Our tested model came priced in at $25,350. Considering it’s got a leather seats (quite comfortable ones by the way), a solid ride and digital safety features, I would say that’s quite a bang for the buck. It’s a modern-aged car that’s affordable and well assembled. It’s a car that I would buy at this price point. But choosing the Touring model would be a different story. The EPA rating of the CVT trnasmission is 7.9/6.1/7.1 for city, combined and highway respectively.

The lower-tier DX, LX and EX come equipped with a 5 speed manual transmission that; in theory, should offer a better driving experience while being penalized by an increase in 8% of fuel consumption. Just one trim lower is the EX model costing about 4k less minus the 17″ alloy wheels, satellite navigation, and bilingual voice recognition. If you don’t plan on practicing your second language with the Honda Civic’s voice recognition software, and don’t mind using your smart phone for navigation, and leather seats, the EX model makes room for an excellent choice for those seeking a good balance of fuel economy, a quiet ride, and a fun(er) commute.

 

Specifications

• Vehicle : 2015 Civic Fit
• Model : Honda Civic Touring
• Price as Tested : $25,350
• Vehicle Type : 5 Passenger Sedan
• Seating Capacity : 2+3
• Powertrain Configuration : FWD
• Engine : 1.8L V4
• Transmission : CVT
• Fuel Economy: 7.1/6.3/6.8 L/ 100KM City/Highway/Combined

Pros

• Excellent use of interior cabin room
• Good quality interior within its price range
• Great fuel economy
• Affordable Price tag

Cons

• Lack of driving enthusiasm (for its CVT model)
• Sluggish digital infotainment controls
• Drive handling could be improved with better tuned suspensions